We'll Get Through
by MusiQ-StaR
Summary: It's no wonder that despite the obstcles, these two will come together.Something bad happens to Abby but she will make it through with the help of some close friends.
1. A Normal Day?

John's POV I'm putting my coat and bag in my locker when I hear the lounge door open. It's 8 o'clock and I know Abby is supposed to start now. It's routine for her to arrive when she is supposed to start, rather than a few minutes early. "Hey Carter." And there she is. My beautiful, funny, caring, best friend and once upon a time, lover. But that's in the past. No need to brood though, we've grown even closer after our break-up. There was a lot of drama but I will always put her happiness before my own; even if it means not being with her. "Ah, Dr. Lockhart. You're a sight for sore eyes." I say before I give her a kiss on the cheek. Some say this I to much, considering Abby is married. But we were friends first and she if fine with it. It too, like our joking, has become normal behavior. "Dr. Carter, always the Charmer. How's it going? By the way, there's a lady in the sitting room looking for you. I didn't know you like older women Carter." She smirks. I'll show her. I slowly come up behind her and start tickling her before she notices I am there. "That's so unfair Carter! You know I hate being tickled!" She screams for me to stop, but like I said, I'll show her. "Had enough?" I ask grinning, knowing I have won. "Yes!" "Ok then. For the record, it's a donator for the foundation. Boring stuff, boring woman. Back to your question, no complaints I guess. Except maybe the number of people out there. I have a feeling it's going to be a very long day. How are you?" "I'm alright. Tired though, Susan and I went out last night..." she says with a slightly innocent smile on her face. The smile I grew to love the first time I saw it. I can't help but stare at her. Did I mention I have never stopped loving her? I don't know what's not to love. Charming personality, beautiful both inside and out. What more could one ask for in a person? And here I am talking to her first, before anyone else. I guess I feel kind of honored with that. What a great way to start my day. "Ready to go, Mrs. I don't know how to be here on time?" "I slept in, sorry." She replies as if there's no problem with the fact. Seeing as how she does it every morning.... 


	2. I Get Nothing

John's POV  
  
As I had predicted, yesterday had gone unbearably slow. There was just so much going. Especially now that it was summer. People can do some pretty stupid things, I tell you. It's sad really. Not only that but then we have to explain the family why and how their loved one had died. Obviously you can't just tell them it was a stupid reason and should never have happened, you must put it together, as nicely has possible, so as to not make things much worse. Like it can get any worse.  
  
It turns out, also, that I had almost all my shifts with Abby. Not that she is back in medical school and doing her training, she's been around a lot more. Not that I am complaining. I enjoy it actually.  
  
I can see her walk into the lounge from my position at the front desk. I just arrived and I decided I'd talk to Frank for a while. I'm actually not listening to what he's saying; I've been watching her with a patient for a while.  
  
"Hey Frank, I'm actually kind of late. We'll talk later." I must say I was rude, I'm sure he'll live though.  
  
I walk into the lounge and see her putting her belongings in her locker. She doesn't even look up to see who just walked in. Maybe she's playing a little game again. I walk up and put my hand on her shoulder. She jumps in reaction.  
  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you" I smirk. Ok, so maybe I found it a little funny. She just nods her head.  
  
"Abby? Are you alright?" Something's not right. No smile, no words.  
  
"I'm fine." And that's all I get. Now I know something's up.  
  
"You know Abby, you're usually so talkative in the morning, and you're always smiling. This whole frown thing doesn't suit you very well." I answer, in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I mean look at you, you're so tense. Come on; tell me what's going on. You can tell me anything, you know that."  
  
"Nothing's going on John, just leave me alone." John? I'm shocked. She hasn't called me that in ages. If she does, it usually means she's upset with me.  
  
"Are you upset with me? Is it something I did, or said?" I hope not. I can't remember having done anything wrong.  
  
"I said leave it alone. Is that too much to ask?" She asks me, her voice raising a bit. She must be getting angry.  
  
"Ok, o.k. raise my hands in defense." I'll back off, I'm sorry. But if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me." And with that she walks away. No "Okay. I will" or "Thanks" Nothing. 


	3. He Always Knows

Abby's POV  
  
I just left him there. How could I? He's always been willing to do things for me and I can't even be courteous enough to say Hello? Sometimes I wish I could hide my emotions better, but with John, well, he just knows. He's always been the only one who could read me. Who could understand me. And still, after all that, not find it necessary to run away. Not even Mike can understand me. Of course, he's never put in much effort. I find myself asking more and more often lately, why I am married to that man? That man. I can hardly say his name. It angers me even more to know that I am letting him control, hurt and manipulate me.  
  
I've kept quiet the whole day. I haven't spoken to Carter since that morning and I haven't said a word to Susan. I know they've probably both been wondering about me and my weird behavior. But I can't tell anyone. It's easier that way. Right?  
  
Here comes Carter. My eyes remain locked with his as he comes over to where I am standing. I know I should look away. Can he see how afraid I am? How jumpy and paranoid I've become all because of that man? Will he ask why I am wearing a thick sweater on this warm spring day? To hide the bruises of course.  
  
He stands next to me, filling out a chart, with saying a word. No greeting, no teasing. I guess he's waiting for me to come to him. Sooner or later I'll have to try right? I don't want to ruin what we have either.  
  
"Hey" I say quietly.  
  
"Hi. I haven't seen you around much today. Where you been?"  
  
"I had to take care of some stuff upstairs." I lie. I ha been sitting on the roof for a few hours, not caring who would notice I was gone or how much trouble I would be in for skipping work like that. I simply didn't care much anymore. I just sat there and cried.  
  
"Oh, alright then. Well, I'm on break, want to grab a coffee?" I smile, relieved that he isn't upset with me.  
  
"Sure."  
  
He leads the way to the door, and, like a gentleman, holds it open for me.  
  
"Thank you." He winks at me in reply.  
  
We're sitting side by side on a park bench now. Just enjoying the beautiful weather and watch the children laughing and playing. He hasn't anything for a while now. He's making me start again, I'm sure of it.  
  
"So..." I don't know what to say.  
  
"So are you going to tell me what's going on? And don't tell me nothing Abby. I saw the bruises on your forearm when you pulled up your sleeve earlier." He looks me in the eye. He knows my secret.  
  
"I banged my arm on something in the garage the other day, that's all." I hate lying to him.  
  
"You know Abby, I've known you for a long time and I can tell when you're lying." He says simply. I hate it when he's right. "Was it Mike? Susan told me that you and him got into a pretty big fight the other day.  
  
"John, I really don't want to talk about this. And how dare you two talk about me behind my back." I retort angrily. I get up to leave but he stops me by grabbing my hand.  
  
"Be careful, Abby. I mean that. If you need anything, call me. OK?" I nod and walk back to the hospital, leaving John behind. 


	4. As Long As She Needs

As Long As She Needs  
  
It had been a week since Carter and Abby had spoken on the bench in the park He and her hadn't talked much about the subject of Abby's depression, she was avoiding him, he supposed. He wanted so bad to be the one she came to. He was beginning to feel jealous of Susan, the one with whom Abby entrusted many of her private thoughts and info. But he cared for her, and so he would not make her even more upset. And so nothing had really occurred between the two for that week. The occasional "Hi." Or "See you later" while coming in for, or leaving, after a shift. It was as if they had suddenly become strangers, and though while they didn't admit it, neither of them liked the idea.  
  
And so, obviously, Carter was completely surprised to find Abby on his doorstep at 11:20 on a Friday night. The night she usually went out with Susan.  
  
John's POV "Abby? What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining, of course. I mean I'd be glad to see you anytime." I'm rambling. Great. Let's try that again. "Is everything ok?"  
  
"Jut hold me." The words came out but I could hardly hear them. The next thing I knew she was hugging me. But it wasn't to give me the comfort. Hold me, she said. I happily comply with her demand.  
  
Ok So maybe it's not a good time for me to be feeling like that, considering I don't even know what she's here for. Sure I have an idea, but I'm not going to lie. I'm happy, glad, that's he came to me. I'll hold her for as long as she needs.  
  
I pull her inside with me, and close the door. I bring her into the sitting room so that I can sit on the couch. She can sit on my lap. I want her close to me. I lie to know that I'm the one comforting her, giving her solace.  
  
"John?" She's speaking so quietly again; I can barely make out my own name. But I know what she's going to say. I completely understand.  
  
"Forget about it Abby, I understand."  
  
"How do you know what I was going to say?" She sits up a little bit, surprised that I know.  
  
"You were going to talk about this week, weren't you?" She nods her head. "It's fine really. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable by asking about things so soon. I'm sure you would come to me soon enough, but a part of me thought that you never would have and that wouldn't have been good. So it's no one's fault, I want you to stop worrying about it."  
  
"John?" There's that small voice again.  
  
"Abby...Really. I understand." I don't want her to feel guilty.  
  
"Shut up for a second, will ya?" She snaps at me, with a smile curving at her lips Well I guess she can still joke with me. "Thank you". And that's all she says for a few minutes, and I'm left to wonder what she's thinking about.  
  
What does Abby have to say? A/N Sorry I haven't updated lately. I just started my new job at Old Navy and all the clothes are coming in and stuff so I've been working crazy hours. I'll update soon I promise! 


	5. Help Me

**Help Me**

And so there they are. After Abby wandering aimlessly around the city of Chicago on this windy night, this is what they have become. Abby and John, sitting with each other, well, more like mildly cuddling, as if everything is right in the world, with them, with their lives. For once, no drama. What's to come next? Neither one of them are sure. But they have been through a lot together and it was clear that they needed each other's help, the way it had always been done.

Abby's POV

"First, after I tell you this, I don't want you storming off to do something about it. In other words do something stupid. Ok?" I really don't want to start anything else and I need Carter to understand that. I look right into his eyes so that he understands my seriousness.

"Of course, Abby." He replies, nodding his head.

"Ok Where to start..."I sigh. Where did it really start? "You remember a few months ago, at Susan's birthday party? When Mark came with me? He actually wasn't working." This was a surprise of course. He was always working. " Well, it just so happened that a woman he works with was there, her husband was friends with Susan's husband. Anyway, a little while later he told me he had to go talk to her about something for a while. I didn't think anything of it at the time. He didn't come back for over an hour, Carter. Three guesses as to what he was doing? And I asked him about it, several times in fact, and he just said I should learn to mind my business. Can you believe that? I'm his wife, for crying out loud!"

Actually, Carter could believe that, he knew that Mark wasn't a good guy, but he knew what Abby would think and say if he told her as much. And so, he kept his mouth shut.

"Anyway, after that night, he was always coming home late form work, or going out late at night, claiming he forgot things, or that he had to meet some colleagues to prepare meetings and things. I always asked, but as usual he would ignore me or get angry. Then one day he grabbed me by the shoulders, really hard you know. I told him he was hurting me, He said the next time I asked he would hurt me, that he was really starting to get angry. He said I wouldn't want to be around, much less alive if he had to take his anger out on me." I look down at my hands and see that they are shaking now. Carter notices this too and takes my hands in his own, reminding me that he is here. I guess I should get this over with.

"I started taking on extra shifts, just so I wouldn't have to go home at night? Crazy isn't? I can't even feel safe, much less happy, in my own home? That and my husband doesn't even want to be my husband? I wonder why this happened to me, you know? How could I marry someone like this? What did I do to make him cheat on me? I know that's what he's doing. He left the numbers on his damn phone! He tells me I don't know shit, can you believe that? I know he's doing it, why can't he just tell me? He can tell me everything else to upset me but he can't tell me that "Yes, I have found someone else.""

I'm shaking my head, as if trying to deny it all. As if doing that will make everything go away. I'm a dreamer right?

"The other night, he came home with something, a gift bag but I don't know what was in it. I don't even care. I said, "Let me guess, another gift from your many admirers?" He got angry and said that he was tired of my attitude, how I was always in his business." I sigh. It's getting harder to breathe and I know any second now I'm going to let everything out. Cry the tears that I've been crying for the past several weeks. I told him that it was our marriage that he had just helped me end, and that it was my business. He said that it wasn't over until he said it was. That I would never leave him alone, that he wouldn't let me. He said that we would always be a family, that he wanted kids with me. I told him that if he though I would ever have his child, he was insane. I told him I didn't care and that I wanted him out of my house or I would call the police. And then, he slapped me. And punched me and hit me, did whatever else he did, I don't know. I don't even remember. I'm not going to try to either. I have the bruises, and that's too much." I take a deep breath. And there they are. The tears I've tried to hide form everyone." I haven't seen him since the other day. He was walking down the street with some woman I've never seen before, but that's no surprise. He maintains that "we" aren't over. You know I haven't been home in two days, at least not when he's there and he hasn't made any effort to find me?" Part of me is glad, but the fact that he really doesn't care, makes me even more furious, upset.

I look at Carter with pleading eyes, begging him to answer the unanswered question "What did I do to deserve this? Why...?" I break off, fall into Carter's arms and just cry. Of course the fact that my arms are bruised and I've recently been punched in the ribs, makes this quite uncomfortable. But I need Carter. I need his help; I need him to tell me things will be all right.

I never liked doing this, asking this really; but now I have no choice. "Help me." It comes out sort of muffled, because my face is right near his neck, but I know he can hear me when he pulls me even closer to him, if that's at all possible. It feels good to be near him, in his arms, it always has. He's all I need.


	6. Thank You

Abby's POV

Here I stand in the middle of Carters enormous bathroom, waiting for him to come back from wherever it is he went. He carried me here, dropped me off and then left...Weird. I don't want him gone. I feel much more at ease with him around, ease I have longed for a long time, something I have found finally.

I finally hear a noise behind me. He walks in the door carrying a pile of towels. He hands me one, takes my hand and leads me to the blind. I guess this means I'm taking a bath. He turns his back to the blind and waits for me to come out. I come out covered in the biggest towel I have ever seen and he takes my hand again. I look down at our hands, and notice that they fit so perfectly together. He sits down on the bathtub ledge and places me in his lap, while he starts the water.

No One's POV

And there they were. Two beings giving full meaning to friendship: One hurt and down, the other: the healer, the caregiver. Neither of them would realize now, how much the really do need each other.

Carter's POV

"I want to take care of you Abby, give you everything you need, make you feel happy. Anything you want I'll do it for you. Can you live with that?"

She looks a little surprised at my rash statement.

"Yes is the only acceptable answer." I look at her with a small smile so that she doesn't get too nervous. That's the last thing I would want to do to her. "Water's ready." She gets off my lap and I turn my head so that she can take off her robe. I am the gentleman after all.

I hear her step into the water and finally, "You can look at me now Carter, I'm covered by bubbles." She manages to say that with a hint of laughter in her voice, as if she knows that I'm contemplating whether or not it would be ok if I stayed. "Come on, talk to me"

No complaint from my part.

"Is the water ok?" I want her comfortable.

"Yes it's fine. And Carter?" She puts her hand on mine, indicating that she wants my full attention. "Thank You"

"No problem. Abby, really." I give her a smile, needing no more words.

We talk about this and that for the next half an hour, sometimes remaining in comfortable silence, not laughing too much. I notice that what happened is controlling our actions and our emotions and that I know we shouldn't let it. I'm going to see that it won't.

"Ready to get out?" I can't imagine that the water is that warm anymore. A simple nod is my answer. I stand up with the bath towel in front of me, I lower my eyes and wait for her to step out and wrap herself in it.

"What time is it?" I don't know actually, I figure it's pretty late though. "Don't you have a shift tomorrow?"

Unfortunately I do. Much to her surprise I pick her up and carry her out of the bathroom, and walk towards the bedroom that next to mine.

"Carter, I can put myself in bed. You have an early shift, go get some rest." Did she not listen to what I said earlier? I'm taking care of her.

"Abby, really, I'll be ok, worse comes to worse, I'll call in sick or something" I say with a smile, how I wish I could do that. She smiles back at me but nods her head.

I walk over to the bed, pull back the comforter and lie her gently down. I pull up the covers, turn off the lamp and am about to walk out to the door when she grabs my hand. She pulls me down until my face is right close to hers.

"Thanks Carter." She whispers and gives me a light kiss. I nod my head, and head out the door.


	7. Leaving Me

Leaving Me 

Abby had been living at Carter's house for a couple of months now. The divorce was finally finalized after the tears and arguments, the doubts and insecurities, after the need for comfort and encouraging words, after the near ending of a year's worth of sobriety.

It was a Friday evening; Abby had just finished a very stressful shift and was looking forward to returning home to spend some time with Carter. They had grown closer, physically over the past few month but still didn't know where they stood. A part of her felt that it was still too soon, she felt guilty about getting together with someone after only have being divorced for about two months. But it was Carter, not a complete stranger and someone whom she had had feelings for a long time. They had dated before her marriage, after all. And now he was going away. For a month! Off to Australia to visit some friend of the family who had recently fallen ill, and to take care of some issues for the foundation. She knew he had to go but really was upset to see him packing and getting ready to leave.

She walked through the doors and out into the entrance bay.

Abby's POV

"Hi there, beautiful" I look up and see Carter leaning against his car. I was going to take the El, but my mood just got significantly better now that he is here. "Why so down?" He really does notice everything. So much for keeping it to myself. I walk up to him and he engulfs me in a big hug. A short while later he starts to pull away, but I won't have it.

"Not yet." I just want to be close to him. I hold on a little bit longer and decide that I've been standing long enough today and really want to sit down. "I'm ready to go home." He nods his head and he leads me to the passenger side of the car. I turn away from him to open the door, when he takes my hand and gently pulls me back to him. He gently kisses me and I never want it to end. He really knows how to make me forget about things.

"I've been thinking about that all day." He winks at me, kisses my forehead and walk to his side.

Mood: steadily improving.

I stay pretty quiet on the way home, trying o think about what I'm going to do about him being gone for such a long time. We're stopped at a red light, the last red light before home, thankfully. Carter reaches across and puts his hand on my leg.

"Is everything ok?" No. Hardly ever is, really.

"Just tired." I shrug if off and hope he believes me.

Finally we arrive at the house. We get in and I immediately head for the stairs.

"Abby" I hear him call my name so I stop on the first stair." I ordered some food before I left, it should be here soon. He always thinks of everything.

"Ok, I'll be right back."

I go upstairs to change out of my work clothes. Fresh clothes always feel better.

I come back down just as Carter is shutting the door on who I'm guessing, was the delivery person. It really smelled good.

He looks at me and smiles, I'm glad to see he's so happy, on our last night to spend time together. I'm just wondering why it's bothering me so much. It never has before. Has it?


End file.
